1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a dental device and a method of thereof, and more particularly, to a unitary dental device having a shell-like analogue with the appearance of individual maxillary or mandibular teeth and to a method of constructing a dental prosthesis using the dental device, which facilitates rapid, accurate and customized set-up of the dental prosthesis specifically adapted to individual patient needs.
2. Description of the Related Art
The laboratory fabrication of complete and partial dentures and in total crowning necessitates a balance between artistic creativity and scientific principles. Successful laboratory technicians develop these skills over many years of trial and improvement. Though much of prosthetic construction involves historically proven, scientifically honed procedures, current methods are overwhelmingly artistic in nature and therefore remarkably time consuming. Of particular concern is the need to specifically manipulate each individual denture and or prosthetic tooth during the tooth set-up procedures. Individual tooth set-up is biomechanically demanding, time consuming and unique to each patient involved.
It is therefore desirable to provide a dental device comprising a unitary shell-like analogue that is heat moldable and has the appearance of individual maxillary or mandibular teeth.
It is further desirable to provide a dental device and method of use thereof that allow both a dental practitioner and a patient to select at chair side a particular tooth mode, shape and size that most appropriately fit the patient's face.
It is still further desirable to provide a dental device and method of use thereof that procedurally enhance and simplify the demanding and time consuming laboratory fabrication process of constructing a complete dental prosthesis.
It is yet further desirable to provide a dental device and method of use thereof, which streamline dental prosthesis construction by facilitating rapid, accurate and individualized setup of the dental prosthesis.
It is still further desirable to provide a dental device that can be milled into an anatomically accurate composite shell-like analogue using CAD/CAM dental technologies.
It is yet further desirable to provide a dental device designed to be set into a dental prosthesis as a complete unit to greatly expediting and simplifying setup of dental teeth and dentures.
It is still further desirable to provide a dental device and method of use thereof that permit easy development of the dental arch form allowing the dental device to be readily adapted to individual patient needs.
It is yet further desirable to provide a dental device and method of use thereof, which permit manipulation of each individual tooth allowing for customized arrangements of the denture teeth, including the incorporation of overlaps, vertical discrepancies, horizontal discrepancies, diastemata, facial-lingual angular variation and mesial-distal angular variation.
It is still further desirable to provide a dental device and method of use thereof that facilitate the creation of anatomically realistic and hygienically favorable papilla forms.
It is yet further desirable to provide a dental device and method of use thereof that include a pair of posterior tooth extensions to create a custom buccal corridor specifically adapted for the individual patient.